Maryland

Abol (8626 Colesville Rd)

Of all the Ethiopian places in Silver Spring, Abol is our go-to. It’s always delicious and the portions are generous for the price. One word of advice–dine in or pick up, because the delivery is super slow.

Denizens (1115 East-West Hwy)

Denizens is a bright spot in Silver Spring, which has a severe lack of nicer bars. They have an outdoor beer garden and an indoor space, and their food is YUMMY. The wings are usually a must for us, and I generally always get the Born Bohemian. They have live music outside in the warmer months.

Pacci’s (8113 Georgia Ave)

I discoered Pacci’s when I was working at a travel magazine, never knowing it was tucked back behind Firestation on Georgia Ave. They have delicious Neapolitan pizza, with my favorite being Napoletana (I have a thing for anchovies). The Nutella pie is also a great cap to the meal.

Urban Butcher (8226 Georgia Ave)

I went here for HH and they had a great selection of cocktails and snacks. The lavender margarita was delicious, and we got a meat plate (have to at a butcher!) that was also yummy.

Urban Winery (949 Bonifant St)

We went here because we actually thought out apartment complex was having an event, but it turned out they weren’t! Even so, they were nice enough to put together a little tasting for us. Most of the wines are from Maryland so they’re on the sweeter side, but they do have a smattering of others to choose from. They have some small plates as well.

Republic (6939 Laurel Ave)

Republic is my favorite restaurant we’ve discovered since moving back to the area. They have a great wine and beer selection, excellent oysters, and delicious, seasonal food. It’s a great spot if you don’t know where to go and just want to hang out with some delicious food and drinks.

Cubano’s (1201 Fidler Ln)

It’s no La Isla, but Cubano’s hits the spot when we’re in the mood for Cuban. They have yummy mojitos and chuletas similar to what we used to get. All in all it’s a good, cheap dinner spot.

Sushi Jin (8555 Fenton St)

For some reason it’s hard to find good sushi in our immediate vicinity, but Sushi Jin hits the spot. Last time we went we ventured out into the other apps, and the yakitori was actually really good as well. They have all the crazy-sounding rolls as well as the usuals.

Ruan Thai (11407 Amherst Ave)

I read about this place in the Washington Post, which said it was one of the best cheap, Thai places in the area. They were right–and they were also right that yum watercress is one of the best items on the menu. We prefer the take-out since parking is awful.

7 Locks Brewing (12227 Wilkins Ave)

This is actually my favorite brewery in the area. It’s a huge space you can bring a crowd and play games. There isn’t any food, so eat before you go if you’re hungry. The beer selection is really good, I really like the pale ale and lager.

Gringos & Mariachis (4928 Cordell Ave)

I hadn’t been over to Bethesda in awhile, but a friend was coming off the bus there so we popped into this place. It was BUSY inside, but we luckily the HH lasted all night that night s we didn’t have to worry about pushing our way to the bar for drinks to beat the clock! The margs were delicious, as were the tacos. We got the chorizo-stuffed dates as well, but I wouldn’t get them or the salsa tasting again. The regular chips and salsa were enough!